Thiago Silva suffering from ‘terrible headache’ after Premier League's non-stop duels

Chelsea defender Thiago Silva has hit the ground running in the Premier League. Along with new signing Edouard Mendy, the duo has added much-needed stability to the Chelsea backline, which saw the Blues keep five clean sheets on the trot before conceding against Sheffield United over the weekend. The Brazilian scored his first goal in blue with a towering header against Sheffield and has been nominated for the Player of the Month award for October as well. 

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Thiago Silva aerial duels have left the defender with a headache

The 36-year-old recently discussed his start to life at Stamford Bridge, with the defender admitting that the Premier League has left him with headaches after the games. Speaking to The Athletic, Thiago Silva explained that he has had a terrible headache after each of his last two games. The Brazilian admitted that the non-stop aerial duels during Premier League games have left him struggling with the pain.

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Chelsea defender explains how the Premier League is different from other leagues

Talking about his experience playing in the Premier League, the central defender explained how the English top flight compares to Ligue 1 and Serie A. Silva called Italy one of the best schools for the backline and the defensive phase, admitting that he learnt a lot from players like Paulo Maldini and Alessandro Nesta.

Discussing his time in Ligue 1 with PSG, the iconic defender said that opponents in France are a little stronger and more physical. While concluding, Silva conceded that the Premier League is very different from the two leagues due to the frequency of aerial duels and the quick pace of play.

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Thiago Silva aerial duels compared with Maguire aerial duels

Over the last two games against Sheffield United and Burnley, Thiago Silva has contested 10 aerial duels, while he had just five in total across his first three Premier League appearances. In five league appearances, the Brazilian has won eight of his 15 aerial duels this season. That gives Thiago Silva a 53% success rate when it comes to aerial duels.

Interestingly, the statistic places the 36-year-old way behind Chelsea teammate Kurt Zouma and Manchester United's Harry Maguire, who are joint top of the table for aerial duels won with a success rate of 88.2%.

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Thiago Silva stats for Chelsea this season

The Brazilian’s arrival has coincided with a turn of form for Chelsea in recent weeks. Thiago Silva has also been given the captain’s armband on occasion, with his leadership skills helping the Chelsea defence considerably. The centre-back leads the Chelsea backline in blocks made this season with five, while his 18 clearances are only bettered by Kurt Zouma. With a passing accuracy of 92.8 % this season, Thiago Silva is at the top of the charts amongst his Chelsea teammates this season.

Image Credits: Chelsea Instagram